Category: Phone

Where can you sell your smartphone for the highest payout? According to statistics, around 90% of US citizens own a cell phone. Aside from this, the average lifespan of a smartphone is around one year and a half. After the passage of this time period, most people sell their old phone and buy a new one. If you have been looking to sell your iPhone or any other phone for maximum payout, read on.

1. Gadget Gobbler

Gadget Gobbler offers cash for more than a thousand types of small gadgets including smartphones, tablets, game consoles, Media players and cameras, just to name a few. The company also offers different fundraising options via the collection of different electronics. You can get your payment from the company within three business days in the form of PayPal transfer or bank check.

2. Gazelle

This website is popular for its advertisement on TV and Internet. The company offers free shipping, and you will get prepaid envelopes. If all goes well, you will get paid the same day. The payment options offered by the company include PayPal, Bank check, Amazon gift card and many others.

3. uSell

uSell is a marketplace where you can get in touch with a lot of potential buyers. What you need to do is set a price that may work for you. And then you have to wait the company to send you a prepaid envelope. The payment will be made through PayPal or cash. And you will get the payment within 5 business days.

4. eBay Instant Sale

eBay is another big name if you want to sell your phone. Its functionality is similar to that of Gazelle, but the service is complex with 4 quality levels for your phone.

5. Amazon Electronics Trade-In

On the list of big online stores, Amazon has the first position. Amazon is popular for its trade-in programs and gift cards. Like eBay, the store offers free shipping. However, the packaging cost will be on you.

6. Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the best choices if you don’t want to pay any fee. The interface of the site is classic, but it is one of the best places for selling your phone through. However, with CL, you will have to meet the potential buyers in person. We suggest that you be careful and choose a busy place to get in touch with the purchaser. All you have to do is set the price and then wait for the buyer to contact you.

7. Local electronic stores

If you don’t want to sell online, you can go ahead and look for a local store. The majority of electronics retailers offer buyback programs for used electronics. The payment will be made in cash or through store credit. If you are looking for a convenient way of selling your phone, we suggest that you opt for a local store.

So, if you have been looking to sell your phone for maximum payout, we suggest that you check out the 7 places described above.

As of 2017, kids all over the world have cell phones. While having a cell phone is great, kids need to understand the responsibility they have in order to enjoy all the benefits that cell phones have to offer. Today I will share with you 6 tips that I believe every child with a phone should follow in order to enjoy the benefits of their phones to the fullest.

Do not talk to strangers

When you have a cell phone, in most cases, random people call you. You will have to sit down with your kids and tell them not to talk to strangers. Make your kids aware that annoying marketers may call them and try to get them to buy things that they might not need.

Talk to your kids about cyber-bullying

When kids have cell phones, they are likely to come across cyber bullying. As a parent, I believe that you should have a conversation with your kids and let them know how much you love them and how much they are appreciated, so they will not be hurt if someone attacks them by way of text messages or internet surfing.

Set boundaries

I believe that you should talk to your child and let them know that they can not research or partake in any type of activity once they get a phone. Kids are more advanced than adults when it comes to technology, in my opinion, so make sure to inform your kids on what to research and what not to research on the internet. In addition, make sure you know every single contact your child has, on his or her phone, on a weekly basis.

Knowing who your child is having conversations with on their cell phones can be the difference on whether or not your child goes down the right or wrong path in life.

In addition, some social media sites like for users to “check in” and display their locations. Inform your child to not check in and keep their locations private.

See it as an opportunity to establish some responsibility

Your child may not be of age to work but you can still make them pay for their cell phone bills. The payment can be in the form of good grades or cleaning their rooms and doing chores around the house. This can establish some character and some discipline in your child.

Understand how to use 911

Your child must know how to reach for help in the event they are not able to reach you. They must understand how the authorities work and how to call them on speed-dial.

Understand how radiation works

You must talk to your child about radiation and the harmful effects it can have. Tell them to limit the lengths of conversations they have their phones in order to keep them safe.

Before you use these tips, do some research

Lastly, I believe that you should do some research to find the best plans for your child. Luckily for you, there are experts who offer free information in the form of free reports to help those who are looking for the best deals.

It’s happening again; your cell phone battery indicator is in the yellow, and will soon be flashing red from a low or dying battery. This is an all-too-common scenario for cell phone owners with problematic phone batteries. If this sounds like your phone, it is time to get to the bottom of your reoccurring cell phone battery problems.

There are several obvious reasons why a mobile device battery dies, including failure to charge your phone until it is fully charged, or using up all its battery juice in a 4-hour phone conversation or online video-streaming binge. There are various other reasons why a phone can begin to experience obnoxious battery issues and complications on a regular basis. Continue reading to learn more about phone batteries and the best method for getting rid of a problematic mobile device.

Dead Batteries

Chances are your cell phone battery is made of lithium-ion like most standard mobile phone batteries. These tend to have an average lifespan of two to three years and typically maintain a charge for two to three days at a time. If your cell phone is losing its charge too fast, or not charging up all the way, there could be several reasons why.

Here are some common sources of dead or dying mobile device:

Bluetooth App Remains On At All Times

Multiple Applications Running At Once

Vibration Settings Rather Than Sound for Alerts and Ringtones

Overextended Roaming From Traveling or Locating Signals

Over-Charging a Phone

Extinguishing All Battery Before Recharging It

Screen Brightness Set Too High

Extensive Internet Browsing or Email Activity

Overexposure to Heat, Cold, or Moisture

And More!

Most often, low power is the reoccurring complaint from cell phone owners with battery issues. Just remember that running several applications all at once (Bluetooth, internet browsing, video streaming, text messaging, etc.) uses up a phone’s charge very quickly. If you want your phone battery to last longer, set down your device and allow it to rest a little bit in between uses, or simply cut back on overusing.

You can also try to clean up your phone’s storage by eliminating apps you no longer use or need. Furthermore, do not let your phone lose all its power before recharging it, and do not keep your charger connected for more than it needs. If you believe there is a malfunction with your battery, or it may be broken, it is time to look for a new phone.

What To Do With Your Broken Phone

Fortunately, your old mobile device doesn’t have to go completely to waste because you can recycle it for cash on the spot. Use the profit from your broken cell to buy a brand new one. Then use your newfound phone charging knowledge to protect your battery for years to come!

Smartphones have evolved in gigantic leaps over the years. You can now use your phones for virtually anything: from paying bills, to checking important emails, to storing sensitive data and media. There is not a lot that smartphones can’t do.

With this type of technological advancement, the risks have skyrocketed as well. This means that the little device that fits so snuggly in your hands will put you at great risk if you were to let your guard down and have it stolen, hacked or damaged.

The good news is that there are actually several of ways to safeguard your phone and this article talks about 11 of them. Let’s begin!

Use Lock Codes

This should be obvious enough, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t even bother setting up a lock code for their phones and sim cards. The rub lies way beyond lost contacts and possible missed appointments. Worst case scenario: if your phone gets stolen or lost, your data will be vulnerable to people with bad intentions.

Avoid this problem by inputting a password not only on your phone, but also on your sim card. That way, you’d at least buy yourself some time to do something about the loss before someone else can crack your pass-codes.

Watch Which Wireless Networks You Connect To

We live in the era of social media, wherein people thrive on being connected to others from all over the globe. Staying connected online usually sucks up data and drives your phone bills through the roof, which is why WiFi connections are a godsend. However, if you’re not careful about which one you connect to, you may just subject your phone to malicious parties.

Thankfully, smartphones have been programmed to lessen the chances of this risk. Make it a habit to turn off your wireless connection whenever you’re not using it. This tip actually solves two problems: help you avoid data breach on your phone and make your battery last longer.

Be Wary of Bluetooth Connections As Well

Although much safer than wireless connections because of their relatively short range, Bluetooth connections can still pose as threats to your phone’s safety. Hackers, when in range, can just as easily make calls, listen in on conversations and access data like they were doing it on their own phones.

Set the Non-Discoverable mode as your default Bluetooth configuration. By doing so, your device will no longer pop up on a potential hacker’s list. If you get unfamiliar requests to pair with your device, always choose to decline.

Be Extra Careful With Apps

With the recent surge of malware on phones that run on Android OSs, one needs to become extra vigilant when downloading applications. Although it may not be convenient to read through the software requirements upon installation, but doing so will give you an idea if a software, particularly an unknown one, is being reasonable with their access requests.

Always make sure to download apps from secured and official platforms only. You can also keep your phone safe by not saving your access details each time you log on to internet browsers as doing so will make it easier for hackers to access your data since they’ll all be in one place.

Download Effective Anti-Malware

This comes in handy if you’re unlucky enough to get malware on your phone from downloading apps. An anti-malware software will definitely soften the blow from infections and will save your information and media from getting damaged.

Update Your Phone’s OS Frequently

Constant OS updates can get a bit annoying at times, but you will serve your phone well by not ignoring it. Updating your OS will put into action a better and more secured system that will keep your data protected. So when a reminder pops up on your phone screen, clear up some storage space and start updating right away.

Back Up Your Data

Losing your phone is bad enough. Waiting forever to retrieve all your contacts, appointments, sensitive data and pertinent documents makes it so much worse. Backing up your phone’s data may not seem important to you now, but it will certainly be convenient when you need it.

There are services that will automatically upload all your data to an online resource each time you connect to a strong WiFi network, leaving you free from the hassles of setting it up yourself. Find one that suits your phone’s OS best and take advantage of it.

Jail-breaking or Rooting Your Device Is A No-No

Jail-breaking or rooting a smartphone is one way of bypassing the manufacturers’ security protocols. Doing so will significantly weaken your phone and render them vulnerable to software threats. Try to avoid doing this as much as you can.

Get Insurance

Human error will never be out of the question when it comes to dealing with phone safety. Accidental drops and liquid spills are commonplace and will probably set you back a couple hundred bucks in repairs.

By purchasing insurance for your phone, the damages mentioned above will be covered and will give you less threats to worry about. There are plenty of good insurance plans out there. All you have to do is look into them and figure out what kind of coverage you want.

Use a Reliable Screen Protector

As far as damages to your phone screen is concerned, you can never go wrong by getting a proven and tested protection technology that will never fail you in times of need. There are a lot of good options in the market today, but the products that stand out are usually the ones that go above and beyond.

Opt for screen protectors made out of military-grade polyurethane for an extra layer of defense from blunt trauma. These things are usually more affordable than you think and can definitely withstand great impact, leaving your phone screen unscathed each time.

11. Invest in a Dependable Case

You can take all the necessary precautions in keeping your phone safe, but you can’t deny the fact that they’re always just one massive drop away from being completely useless. Don’t worry, it happens even to the most cautious people.

When you invest in a shock- and waterproof phone case, you significantly decrease your worries of dropping and damaging your phone. You can now take your phone everywhere – the beach, the mountains and even the skies. Make sure that you choose phone cases that are made from military-grade materials, submersible in water up to 24 feet, and shock-, snow- and dust-proof.

Making sure your phone is safe at all times can get a bit overwhelming, but the tips above will take a considerable amount of pressure off your shoulders. Keep them in mind and you’ll be good to go.

I am hoping this will be a thought-provoking treatise on why I live in a cellphone-free household. Interestingly, when I did a Google search for “stats on cellphone free households Canada”, all that came up were articles on how the majority of Canadian households have cellphones and not landlines… not exactly what I was after. If I was to throw out a rough guesstimate of how many Canadian households are cellphone-free, I would say 10-15% and that would probably be higher than the actual number.

To give you a sense of how bizarre it seems to most people when my husband and I tell them neither of us owns a cellphone, most people are left speechless and cannot even begin to comprehend how on earth, in this cellphone-based culture, we can survive without at least ONE between the two of us. After three people in one day incredulously asked me how on earth I get by without a cellphone, I became inspired to write an article on the topic. I figured that some of you, my devoted dear readers, may find my reasoning somewhat interesting and worth pondering.

I want to start off by saying that even though I choose to not have a cellphone, I don’t go around preaching to others piously about being cellphone free. Most of the time (to be completely honest which I do my best to be as much of the time as I can), I am not judging people on cellphones. In my own case, just because I don’t have a cellphone, that doesn’t preclude me from being addicted to technology; constantly scouring parts of the city I live in for free Wi-Fi so I can check my e-mail… I admit to doing this constantly- except on Saturday when I force myself to take one day off from checking email and I have to say, those days are very difficult to get through because I am so addicted to email!

And while I get really annoyed when someone’s cellphone rings during a yoga class, or I overhear an entire conversation because someone has decided to put their conversation on speakerphone at the grocery store, I still understand the arguments people make to justify cellphone use such as:

They are useful for staying connected with teenage children and to provide some level of safety to these young adults

They need to be available because they have a loved one who is very ill

Any type of doctor who needs to be contacted to perform emergency surgery

Midwives- for being able to spring into action when a baby is about to say hello to the world

Someone undergoing a serious job search who wants to pick up the phone the instant it could be a potential employer calling to inform them that they got a job

Someone in recovery from an addiction who needs to get a hold of their sponsor the minute they find themselves looking for booze, drugs, or cupcakes.

At the same time, for those of you who grew up in the age without cellphones, I feel a reminder is in order:

WE ALL MANAGED TO SURVIVE WITHOUT CELLPHONES UNTIL THEY WERE INVENTED AND BECAME A THING WE ALL HAD TO HAVE…

Teenagers somehow survived by having to use a payphone to call parents for an update on their whereabouts

We dealt with very ill loved ones despite not having a cellphone and did our best to be there when needed

I believe doctors required to perform emergency surgery had this odd device called a “pager” which alerted them to get their butt to the hospital ASAP when they were needed

Women throughout the centuries somehow managed to give birth whether they could get a hold of their midwife in time… and not to insult midwives, but if we’re totally honest, many women didn’t/don’t have the option of entertaining a midwife in the first place

For the serious job searcher- we used to have these clunky odd machines with things called cassette tapes in them called ‘answering machines’- yes young ones, listen up- we used to have a machine at home which would record the voices of people who were trying to reach us when we weren’t home and it kindly shared those messages with us upon our return when we pushed a button that said “calls” on it- prehistoric and weird I know!

And lastly, for the addict who had the strong impulse to “use” whatever substance of choice they felt they needed, they usually had the option of going to a free 12-step meeting to get the support they needed or could borrow a phone or use a payphone in an emergency. I remember a time when I was a young gal in the big city- we had these mini glass-encased rooms all over the place with big telephones in them! They were easily accessible, kept you out of the freezing cold, and with a coin or two, you could phone anyone you wanted within seconds. Anyone seen a good old-fashioned phone booth lately in your neighborhood? I bet the stock in phone booth production is at an all-time low these days.

Digitally-Savvy and Cellphone Free

Before I list off what I believe are very sound reasons to remain cellphone free, I feel the need to confess once again that just because I don’t have a cellphone, that doesn’t mean I’m not obsessed with technology and being wirelessly connected much of the time. In fact, I own and use FOUR separate technological devices to work on, communicate, and stay connected on a daily basis. I am a huge Apple fan so all of my devices are Apple-based and include: an iMac computer (for office), a MacBook Pro laptop (when I’m traveling and working), an iPad Air (for playing with in the evenings- mostly watching silly videos and doing online shopping), and my “trick cellphone”- an iPod- which looks almost identical to an iPhone but is everything but a telephone! However, if I want to call anyone, I can easily use Skype or FaceTime on ANY of these devices within seconds.

So, as you can see, I’m pretty digitally wired. I just choose to NOT have a fifth device which would be a cellphone. My hubby is in the same boat and happens to be a website designer. He’s incredibly tech-savvy without having a cellphone glued to his hip at all times. I also confess that due to age, we are a bit ‘old school’ when it comes to telephones- we both prefer landlines and consider them true phones. Between the two of us, we have three separate landlines- one for each of our businesses, and a home line.

Top Two Reasons for Not Owning a Cellphone

They are incredibly expensive and I can’t justify paying that much money for something I believe I don’t need or want. Most people I know who use cellphones are paying roughly $100 a month for the privilege. You know where I put that $100? Towards a delicious one-hour organic facial every month. To me, that’s money well-spent!

People could get a hold of me at any time; all of the time – Most people that know me well roll their eyes when I point this out at a dinner party because they know what I’m referring to- I, unlike the majority of people I have ever met, don’t like to be constantly accessible. I’m sure you’ll now agree that I made a good choice by not becoming a mother. I am acutely aware that parenting necessitates one being highly accessible almost all of the time and to my sisters out there with kids- I take my hat off to you for doing that! Yes, I admit it- I am a big defender of my right to be a private person- in fact, it is one of the markers of being a Highly Sensitive Person and I believe I’m not the only one out there who feels this way.

Don’t get me wrong – I love and enjoy the company of others- just not 24/7. Like all HSP’s, I need a lot of alone-time to recharge my batteries and that means having the capacity to be a hermit in bite-sized pieces throughout the day. Same goes for my beloved hubby- we both habitually retreat several times a day- even from being with each other- to rest, reflect, and regain our energy.

Even without a cellphone, I am very easy to reach and I respond to phone messages and emails in a timely manner. And I’ve dealt with several family emergencies very well without owning a cellphone.